Dark Chocolate For Good Health
It's getting close to Valentine's Day, and minds are straying to thoughts of chocolate - chocolate bars, chocolates in a box, chocolate candies. Lately chocolate has been featured in the news as promoting heart health.
Could this really be, or is it just an excuse to eat the delicious stuff?
It's been shown that a 1.6 ounce bar of dark chocolate a day can improve circulation and help blood vessels dilate. However, the chocolate has to contain flavonoids - compounds that are also found in red wine, blueberries, and green and black tea.
Flavonoids can also lower cholesterol and prevent clots. Sounds good, right? However, when the chocolate with the flavonoids taken out was consumed, the benefits were not seen.
If milk chocolate is more to your taste, it has flavonoids also, but unfortunately the milk cancels out the effects (similar to drinking milk with green tea).
Make sure that your chocolate is dark and has a high cocoa content. Some companies list the percentage right on the bar, such as Lindt.
The woman who conducted the study on the benefits of dark chocolate went as far as to say this:
"Many people don't realize that chocolate is plant-derived, as are the fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy heart." (WebMD)
Likening dark chocolate to fruits and vegetables may be going a little too far. However, consuming moderate amounts with a healthy diet and exercise can't hurt - it can only help.
Dove bars, anyone?
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Dark chocolate is good for your blood pressure, too. I was going to post something similar on my blog today. But you beat me to it, so I won't duplicate your post.
ReplyDark chocolate is more satisfying too. When you eat something that is 50% cocoa solids, a couple bites will leave you sick of chocolate for a week.
ReplyDark chocolate tastes like shit
ReplyDark chocolate taste great if you buy the good quality, usually more expensive chocolate.
Don't buy cheap baking chocolate, splurge and spend a fair amount (for a chocolate that is) and you will be deliciously satisfied. What Jan said is true too. A small piece of real dark, smooth chocolate will keep you going for days.
Go out and enjoy a piece on this wonderful Valentines Day.
ReplyIf you look out for hydrogenated fats in the label, you'll end up already only buying higher-quality chocolate, since no cheap brands make chocolate without trans fats anymore.
Baking "chocolate" is essentially shortening with sugar and cocoa powder, not chocolate at all. It tastes rancid.
ReplyI'm with Jan. The super high coccoa chocolates are way more satisfying. I buy a 72% chocolate and two small pieces are about all I can eat before I'm overwhelmed. It's strong, it's good, and it helps me resist cravings for inferior chocolate.
ReplyMy two favorite things. Espresso coffee and dark chocolate. I just make sure I read all the right studies -- then I believe it's all good for me :-)
It's all a matter of taste... ReplyJim, at least with espresso, you can be sure it doesn't contain the stomach-harming acids that regular drip coffee contains... or was that disproven too, when I wasn't paying attention?
ReplyCoffee is flat-out acidic -- but totally depends on the blend, source of beans, and -- as you say - brewing method.
ReplyPersonally, I like dark chocolate at 85%+ - the only unhealthy thing about many dark chocolate bars is the sugar.
I wouldn't trust all vegetable-derived food (or pseudo-food) - refined sugar is definitely bad for you in large quantities. Trans-fats can be made from vegetable oil ...
ReplyMy husband and I consider ourselves to be rather health-conscious, but we do like dessert after we eat dinner. We have found Lindt 85% Cocoa bars to be delicious. Two squares of the chocolate has only 105 calories and 2.5g of sugar, along with 2g of protein. The saturated fat content is somewhat high (5.5g) but if you eat it in moderation, it's not bad. You can pronounce all of the ingredients, too (always a good sign). Spread a little peanut butter on the chocolate, and it is a delicious treat...just don't go overboard
ReplyIn order for chocolate to be considered healthy it must be consumed in its organic unprocessed state. The enemy to antioxidants is Heat! Unfortunately part of the traditional processing of chocolate is roasting the cocoa bean. Up to 80% of antioxidant values as well as virtually all levels of the healthy chemical theobromine are destroyed in the process. Which is healthier, vibrant green spinach freshly picked or canned boiled mushy nutrient deprived spinach. So can you find good tasting non heat processed chocolate anywhere? Well don't go to Hersheys, Godiva, or even Cocoa Via. It's very difficult, but it does exhist. The only company I know that produces a chocolate with the USDA ORAC test values printed on the labels is th e line of products called Xocai (sho-sigh), which is manufactured my MXI Corp.
ReplyI love chocolate...
ReplyDark chocolate tastes really good with raw almonds! Oh Yea.
ReplyDefinitely, i'd go for Dove, for their dark chocolates... and if you haven't tried one, and you happen to be at any of these locations between August 2-5 (Baltimore/Washington DC, Boston MA, Chicago IL, Houston TX, Los Angeles CA, Miami FL, New York NY, Philadelphia PA, San Diego CA and San Francisco CA), you can actually grab a free sample. Dove Ladies in brown silk robes will be going around on the streets giving out free samples of milk chocolate and dark chocolate candy.
You can check Dove's site [www.dove.com] for their other luscious offerings, bunch of recipes and other stuff.
ReplySorry, for the oversight, here is the correct website address of Dove Chocolate: http://www.dovechocolate.com
ReplyAshley your an idiot. Try building a vocabulary. I agree that dark chocolate is more satisfying. I only need a little tiny bit. It is hard to stop yourself with milk chocolate. I always feel like I need more.
ReplyYou have very interesting site.Thanks for all.
ReplyIndeed, not all chocolate is created equal. I've been taking Xocai - The world's first healthy chocolate - for some time now, manufactured by MXI Corporation, and experiences all kinds of health benefits. After my first 3 weeks of taking this scientfically supported healthy chocolate, the eczema on my hand, which I have endured for many years, completely went away! Another friend of mine who suffered from psoriasis on his arm went on the product. In less than one month, 95% of his condition disappeared and within the first two weeks the itching that had historically driven him "nuts" completed dissipated. And finally, another friend of mine who is diabetic went from an A1C score, which measures blood glucose levels, of 12 to 6.8! He has now reduced his insulin injections after consulting with his doctor and he is ecstatic that he can now have his chocolate and eat it too!
For more information about this healthy chocolate check out my website at http://www.xavierxocai.com to learn more about the science behind this chocolate and how it is impacting the lives of so many. I am now a true believer after having been extremely skeptical.
ReplyI'm surprised that no one has mentioned Dagoba, definitely one of the best chocolates to be found anywhere. I prefer the very darkest one available in stores, the Eclipse bar at 87%, but there are several others, some dark and some milk chocolate. There is one for every taste. There is one that is 100%, but it can only be ordered online. It is not for the fainthearted! :-)
For me, dark chocolate is far superior to all the rest. I don't think I could enjoy a chocolate with less than 85-87%. And dark chocolate is definitely more satisfying and better for your health.
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